The Pawn, and the Exile
by On Soaring Wings
Summary: In an alternate universe where Irina is the one who learned the truth and was exiled instead. Issei takes it upon himself to help his friend rebuild her shattered life. A collection of drabbles, and one shots detailing their relationship.
1. A Different Kind of Stray

**(Disclaimer: I don't own Highschool DxD... If I did season 4 would either have had the characters looking like the first 3 seasons, or it wouldn't have been made at all. #NotMyDxD yes I'm still grinding that axe nearly two years later. Season 4's character designs suck, don't at me.)**

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Thunder boomed outside of the Hyoudou house as Issei lay awake deep in thought. Even the amazing bare oppai of his precious Buchou laying beside him could not tame the maelstrom of thoughts raging through his head.

_"The White Dragon. It took out Kokabiel like yesterday's trash, and I could do nothing. Everyone fought so hard, but I could barely do anything. All my hard work, and I'm still a nobody. Buchou, Asia, Akeno, Koneko... Irina... I can't protect anyone."_

He tried to reassure himself that was not true. That he was just inexperienced, that he had growing to do... Even the reassurances of Draidg did little to ease his doubts.

He thought of Xenovia. The exorcist, and holy sword wielder who was the first of their allies to fall in battle. Knocked out shielding her partner Irina from a light spear's explosion. Unconscious she missed the big revelation. That God himself was dead. He remembered the look on Irina's face. The look of utter loss, devastation. The look of someone's whole world shattering. It felt like seeing Asia die in that church again. It felt like watching Rias give herself up to Riser to save his sorry ass. He hated seeing his friends and loved ones in such pain.

With a mental grunt he slowly and stealthily rose out of bed. Perhaps a drink of water would help steady his thoughts. Slowly he padded his way down the stairs to the kitchen pouring himself a glass from the tap and chugging it down. Still not feeling the need for sleep he figured he'd try some light exercise in the living room. He was just about to lie on the floor for some situps when he heard a light rapping on the door.

He was perplexed... If someone was knocking at the door it was far too soft to wake anyone in the house. Yet it was too persistent to be just a random haphazard occurrence. He walked up to the door, and after fiddling with the lock opened it... What he was felt like yet another sledgehammer to the heartstrings.

It was Irina, his childhood friend standing at the door alone, and soaked to the bone. She was shivering, her head was down. Her skin was near deathly pale, and Issei could have sworn he saw just the slight tinge of blue on her lips.

"Irina!" He cried out grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her inside. Shaky, rubbery legs refused to support her anymore as she fell inside the house into Issei's arms.

"Is-Issei... Exiled... Heretic... God ... dead." She mumbled. Issei wasn't the brightest bulb, but he could put two and two together... The church had cast her out. Tossed her aside because it was more convenient for them... Just like Asia... His hands trembled with fury. How can Angels be so heartless towards their own faithful? It sickened him even more than Riser did when his hands were on Rias. He wasn't a devout Christian even before becoming a devil, but from what he did know it felt like all their teachings were bullshit this whole time.

"It's okay Irina, don't talk, and just save your strength. I'm here for you." He said helping her inside and shutting and locking the door. "Come on, we need to get you warm." He said undressing her. It was not an instant act of perversion like his dress break... In his mind it barely registered what he was doing... Off came Irina's boots, then stockings revealing her dainty feet and long toned legs. Her gloves, and leotard came off next revealing more bare skin. Finally after getting a blanket off of the sofa he removed her underwear. The whole time if Irina protested he legit did not hear her... All she did was whimper and cry.

Wrapping her in the blanket he carried her up the stairs. His room was out of the question... And the thought of bringing another girl (a naked one at that) to Rias' room filled him with dirty thoughts that he banished to the back of his mind for a later time. So he carried her into Asia's room. At least in there he would be less tempted to do something he might regret later. He nudged open the door and carried the auburn haired beauty in laying her trembling form on Asia's bed, and getting in with her. Slowly be began rubbing her shoulders, and arms trying to transfer his heat to her. Even his feet did the same to Irina's own trying to warm every inch of her body he could with the thin fabric of his night clothes, and the couch blanket between them.

"It's okay Irina... I'm here... You don't have to be alone... Just stay with me until you feel better." He said.

Irina using what little strength she had then grabbed Issei, burying her face in his shoulder and let out a long, loud, muffled wail of grief and despair followed by sobs. Tears and snot were pouring from her face making his shirt even wetter than handling her soaked body and clothing possibly could.

Through it all Issei kept up the rubbing, the reassuring words of comfort. He did his best, all doubts erased from his mind. There was no time to doubt, there was no time for self pity. Not when his childhood friend needed him.

After what felt like hours the muffled sobbing and screaming went silent as Irina's eyes were shut, and her muscles relaxed. Checking her pulse, and then her hands and feet as best he could in the position he was trapped in he could get a good idea that she was not in immediate danger. She was asleep... exhausted if not physically, then emotionally from the ordeal before her.

Issei sighed softly. This was gonna be an absolute nightmare to explain to Buchou, and Asia in the morning, but he didn't mind. After all at the end of the day. He was a dragon.

And a Dragon protects what is precious.


	2. An Argument

**(Disclaimer: I don't own Highschool DxD... Ichiei Ishibumi does. (I think that's his name anyway. I suppose I could look it up, but I don't feel like it right now.) Anyway thanks for all the follows and feedback. Sorry I don't have the inspiration or drive to make this a proper series, but then again I hope I at least inspire one or two people to give this plot bunny a try. Despite what those of you who read Celestial Pawn might think, I don't hate Irina. Clearly I don't if I'm writing this fic about her... I just think she'd be a more interesting character if she had been exiled either with or instead of Xenovia. Her character is kinda flat at least in the anime. It doesn't help that she's barely given anything to do, and is often lost in the fold. Anyway I've ranted enough. On to the fic.)**

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"I... I refuse." Irina said simply. The tension in the room was thick as molasses as Irina sat on Rias' bed dressed in one of Issei's Mom's bathrobes her hair now down, and dry.

Rias tapped her socked foot against the floor in an annoyed huff. "Why not? You said it yourself, you are a heretic, you have nowhere else to go."

"It's not that simple. I still have my faith. I can't just throw away my beliefs, my ability to pray like that." Irina said.

"Irina..." Issei tried to interject, but he didn't know what to say or do to defuse this situation. Rias had offered a place in her Peerage to Irina, only for the former exorcist to turn her down bluntly.

"I'm sorry Issei." Irina said with her head down. "I know now that you, and Asia didn't ask to be turned into Devils of your own will, but If I'm being given a choice in the matter, I refuse." She began. "I may be shamed and exiled, but I still have my pride, and I still believe in God, I cannot just turn my back on him because the Church has rejected me." She said holding his hand. "If it were Xenovia in my place, I'm sure she would say the same thing." She said as somewhere in some alternate universe Xenovia sneezed for seemingly no apparent reason.

Rias continued to frown. "If that is the case, then you have no-"

In a instant Issei was up to his feet. "She is not leaving." He said doing his best not to shout or snarl. Even he was amazed by his own seeming anger. It was not in his nature to get angry with Buchou, even when she was spanking him raw, he did not lose his temper at her.

For a moment Rias was sent reeling back. "Issei, don't make me pull rank-"

"You'd seriously try? After what I did for you, you'd force me to cast my friend out into the cold because she won't serve you?" He asked.

Rias looked at the ground in shame. "I... I'm sorry. You're right." She admitted. "Fine Irina can stay, but she's your responsibility. If she gets in trouble, you're the one who has to take care of it."

"Deal." Issei said smiling. "Thanks Buchou, you won't regret this, I promise."

Rias sighed. "Don't make promises you already can't keep." She said before taking Irina's hand. "Now come on. We need to get you some clothes."

"I can help with that-" Issei began.

"NO! I'm not letting you pick what she wears. You'll make her wear Satan-knows what kind of sexy outfits. Asia, and I will get her some real clothes." Rias declared shoving him out of her room.

Issei sighed. Thinking of how strange girls are. One minute she wants nothing to do with her, the next she takes responsibility for dressing her. "Heh, girls are weird like that." He sighed before going downstairs to get something to eat.

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**(And that's it for this chapter. Sorry for the bit of an anti-climax, but I felt it was still only natural for Irina to refuse to become a devil here. If you disagree that's fine, I'm just trying to keep her in what I think her character is.**

**Seriously though if you write a retelling of a DxD fic, and want to take the plot off the rails I believe exiling Irina instead of Xenovia is a good way to go about it. It changes just enough to make things interesting, but not enough to completely derail the story in a totally new direction. Anyway that's just me rambling. Next chapter will be a bit more fun as it's gonna be based on the pool episode... Rating might have to go up at that point depending on what I decide to write. Just a fair warning. Later.)**


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